Historical Dates

September 26, 1885 – Australia’s first professional wrestling bout, William
Miller vs. Clarence Whistler, is staged at Melbourne’s Theatre Royal. Whistler
won, but died afterward. The cause of death was internal bleeding caused
by eating a champagne glass after the match.

March 29, 1987 – Wrestlemania III is hosted by the Pontiac Silverdome in
Pontiac, Michigan. A crowd of over 78,000 fans witnesses Hogan successfully
defending the WWF title against Andre the Giant in the main event.

May 26, 1987 – “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and The Iron Sheik are arrested by New
Jersey state police. Duggan is charged with possession of marijuana and drinking
alcohol while driving; Sheik is charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana.
Duggan receives a conditional discharge; Sheik receives a year probation.

January 24, 1988 – WWF airs its first “Royal Rumble” on the USA Network.

February 5, 1988 – Andre the Giant ends Hulk Hogan’s four year WWF title
reign. He later gives the title to the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase,
until the title is held up by WWF President Jack Tunney.

March 27, 1988 – The first “Clash of the Champions” air on WTBS, airing head
to head with Wrestlemania IV. In the main event, Ric Flair and Sting wrestled
to a 45 minute time limit draw.

November 1988 – Ted Turner buys out Jim Crockett Jr. for $9 million, and
later renames his promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

January 1993 – “Raw” debuts on the USA Network.

November 1993 – Vince McMahon is charged with steroid possession.

June 11, 1994 – Hogan signs with World Championship Wrestling.

July 22, 1994 – The Ultimate Warrior wrestles his first match in more than
two years before 2,000 fans in Las Vegas. He defeats the Honky Tonk Man.

August 27, 1994 – Shane Douglas defeats 2 Cold Scorpio for the NWA World
Heavyweight Title, but then dumps the belt and proclaims himself the first
Extreme Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion.

June 23, 1996 – Austin wins the King of the Ring tournament, and starts his
Austin 3:16 gimmick.

July 7, 1996 – Hogan turns heel at Bash at the Beach, joining Hall and Nash
in the New World Order (NWO).

November 17, 1996 – Rocky Maivia (The Rock) debuts at the Survivor Series.

November 9, 1997 – McMahon cheats Bret Hart out of the WWF title at the Survivor
Series in Montreal.

November 1997 – Rick Rude becomes the only wrestler to appear on “Raw” and
“Nitro” on the same night.

1998 – WCW earns $55 million in profits.

April 13, 1998 – “Raw” ends “Nitro’s” 83 week winning streak.

November 1998 – Former wrestler and announcer Jesse “The Body” Ventura is
elected Governor of Minnesota.

May 23, 1999 – Owen Hart, 34, dressed as the Blue Blazer, falls to his death
during the Over the Edge PPV in Kansas City, Missouri. The Hart family filed
a wrongful death lawsuit against the WWF, and settled out of court for $18
million in November 2000.

September 1999 – WCW hires WWF writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara.

2000 – WCW loses $62 million.

September 25, 2000 – The WWF moves “Raw” to TNN.

March 23, 2001 – The WWF purchases World Championship Wrestling (WCW) for
a mere $4.3 million.

March 26, 2001 – The final “Nitro” airs on TNT.

April 4, 2001 – HHG Corporation, the owners of Extreme Championship Wrestling,
filed for bankruptcy. In their filing, HHG Corp. claimed assets of $1,385,500
and listed debts of $8,881,435, leaving them with about $7.5 million in debt
when they ceased operations.